# Section 8. Safety and Risk Management
## 8.1 - Purpose
The CDRP/DIRT UAS Program is committed to safe operations in all environments by all affiliated flight crews.
### 8.1.1 - Deliberate Operation
All decisions to operate UAS must be deliberate and influenced by good risk management practices, checklists, and this SOG. There will not be accidental operations or those taking place by 'default'.
### 8.1.2 - Empowerment of Crewmembers
All crewmembers are empowered and required to raise safety issues with the RPIC or other pertinent personnel. Upon notification that a safety issue exists, all flight operations must stop while mitigation measures are developed and approved by all crew.

No punitive actions may be taken toward a crewmember who raises a safety issue or concern.
### 8.1.3 - Flight Supervision
Non-CDRP personnel (students and volunteers) may operate UAS as part of a mission or flight operation. In these cases, at least one CDRP staff member will be assigned as the Flight Supervisor.

The Flight Supervisor has the authority to suspend or terminate all flight operations for any reason.
## 8.2 - Mission Request and Approval System
All fight operations, of any type, must be approved by the CDRP/DIRT UAS Program Manager or an assigned delegate. This request for approval must be in writing and include the following planning elements:
1.  The crewmember responsible for oversight of the flight operation/mission
2.  Date and time of the flight operation/mission
3.  Location of the flight operation/mission
4.  All crewmembers participating in the flight operation/mission
5.  The aircraft and systems being operated
6.  Any environmental factors that will increase or decrease risk to safe operations
7.  Weather forecast
8.  Mitigation factors taken to reduce risk

All approvals or denials will be in writing. See [Appendix C   Lantern](../appendix-c-lantern/) and [Appendix D   Field Operations Guide](../appendix-d-field-operations-guide/)
### 8.2.1 - Approval System of Record
As of October 2020, the Flight Operation/Mission Approval System of Record is *Lantern V1* [Appendix C   Lantern](../appendix-c-lantern/).
## 8.3 - Risk Management Checklist
Prior to all flights, the RPIC will complete a Risk Management Checklist (RMC). The RMC is designed to encourage deliberate operations and a flight-by-flight review of all flight risks. The RMC does not replace aircraft specific operations checklists, thorough risk assessment (using
the risk matrix), or airspace and environmental reviews. The RMC reinforces those practices and ensures they are completed prior to each flight operation.

The current RMC is located in the Flight Operation/Mission Approval System of Record (Section 8.2.1) and can be accessed from the Risk Management Portal discussed in [Appendix D   Field Operations Guide](../appendix-d-field-operations-guide/).
### 8.3.1 - Risk Management Checklist Logs
The RMC process is linked to the flight request and approval process.Each RMC is logged by the RPIC prior to flight and linked to an approved flight operation/mission.

Logging of RMC by the RPIC and flight crews is mandatory, and is completed in the Flight Operation/Mission Approval System of Record (Section 8.2.1).
### 8.3.2 - Audits
The CDRP/DIRT UAS Program Manager or designee will audit the completed flight operations/missions on a monthly basis to ensure that RMCs are created and logged for each flight.

Failure to log the RMC by the RPIC may result in punitive action similar to those for failing to log flights (Section 4.11.2).